The Miami Marlins lost their fifth straight on Saturday, an 8-6 defeat in Milwaukee, and yet the more telling story out of Miami is that this front office is preparing to buy. After years of selling at the deadline, the Marlins enter the final two weeks before Aug. 3 in postseason position, and that changes everything about how they operate.
At 52-47, Miami holds a National League wild-card spot, and Baseball Reference gives the club a 58 percent chance at its first playoff berth since 2023. A five-game skid stings, but it has not knocked the Marlins out of the picture, and the standings still say buyer.
The reporting lines up with the record. MLB Trade Rumors and MLB.com have both framed Miami as a probable buyer, with the club expected to target rotation help — Jose Soriano is among the names that have surfaced — while declining to mortgage the farm system for a pure rental. The preference is a return that upgrades a need now and holds value into next year, which is the sensible way for a young team to add without undoing its foundation.
Miami has trade chips of its own, too. Catcher Liam Hicks, who has hit 13 home runs with an .817 OPS while filling in at first base and designated hitter, is expected to draw interest, giving the Marlins flexibility to deal from a position of depth if the right upgrade appears.
Even in the loss, there were reminders of why this team is worth investing in. Griffin Conine homered and drove in three, the kind of young-bat production that has quietly carried stretches of Miami’s season.
For fantasy managers, Conine is the one to watch here: his .946 OPS in a part-time role makes him a live add if a deadline move nudges him toward everyday at-bats. Hicks already carries value in two-catcher and deep leagues thanks to his multi-position eligibility, and a trade to a contender would only raise his lineup profile.
